The Ballot debate has been going on all the week,
but the Bill advances very slowly. A small knot of Members are opposing it by incessant amendments, most of them intended either to dimin- ish secrecy, or secure scrutiny, or prevent personation, but there was a discussion on Thursday on a really important point. Is a voter to be allowed to exhibit his ballot-paper so as to show for whom he is going to vote? If he is, the Ballot will protect instead of punishing bribery. Mr. Leatham proposed to punish the voter by two years' imprisonment, and Mr. Forster agreed, but the House thought this too severe, and he then suggested a fine of £10—a mistake, as a bribes who gets more than that will he quite safe. The point was left undetermined, but we should think one month quite sufficient, more especially as we do not make it penal for the voter to tell anybody for whom he voted.
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